Carcinoid syndrome

Carcinoid syndrome
A syndrome due to carcinoid tumor which secretes large amounts of the hormone serotonin. The syndrome is directly due to the serotonin. Features include flushing and blushing, swelling of the face (especially around the eyes), flat angiomas (little collections of dilated blood vessels) on the skin, diarrhea, bronchial spasm, rapid pulse, low blood pressure and tricuspid and pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of the tricuspid and pulmonic valves of the heart), often with regurgitation. Carcinoid tumor usually arises in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere between the stomach and the rectum (the favorite spot is in the appendix) and from there may metastasize (spread) to the liver. In the liver the tumor produces and releases large quantities of serotonin into the systemic bloodstream.

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carcinoid syndrome n a syndrome that is caused by vasoactive substances secreted by carcinoid tumors and is characterized by flushing, cyanosis, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and valvular heart disease

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a symptom complex associated with carcinoid tumors, characterized by attacks of severe cyanotic flushing of the skin and by watery diarrhea, bronchoconstrictive attacks, lesions of the heart valves, edema, ascites, and increased urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Symptoms are caused by secretion by the tumor of serotonin, prostaglandins, and other biologically active substances.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Carcinoid syndrome — DiseaseDisorder infobox Name = Carcinoid syndrome ICD10 = ICD10|E|34|0|e|20 ICD9 = ICD9|259.2 ICDO = ICDO|8240|3 8245 Caption = OMIM = MedlinePlus = 000347 eMedicineSubj = med eMedicineTopic = 271 DiseasesDB = 2040 MeshID = D008303 Carcinoid… …   Wikipedia

  • carcinoid syndrome — Pathol. the systemic effects, including flushing, palpitations, diarrhea, and cramps, resulting from increased blood levels of serotonin secreted by a carcinoid. Also called carcinoidosis /kahr seuh noy doh sis/. * * * …   Universalium

  • carcinoid syndrome — A combination of symptoms caused by the release of serotonin and other substances from carcinoid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include flushing of the face, flat angiomas (small collections of dilated blood vessels) of the… …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • carcinoid syndrome — Pathol. the systemic effects, including flushing, palpitations, diarrhea, and cramps, resulting from increased blood levels of serotonin secreted by a carcinoid. Also called carcinoidosis /kahr seuh noy doh sis/ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Carcinoid — DiseaseDisorder infobox Name = Carcinoid ICD10 = ICD10|E|34|0|e|20 ICD9 = ICD9|259.2 ICDO = ICDO|8240|3 Caption = Picture of a carcinoid tumour that encroaches into lumen of the small bowel (centre of image). Pathology specimen. The prominent… …   Wikipedia

  • Carcinoid tumor — A tumor which secretes large amounts of the hormone serotonin. Carcinoid tumor is also called an argentaffinoma. The tumor usually arises in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere between the stomach and the rectum (the favorite spot is in the… …   Medical dictionary

  • carcinoid — argentaffinoma; n. a tumour of the argentaffin cells in the glands of the intestine (see apudoma). Carcinoids typically occur in the tip of the appendix and are among the commonest tumours of the small intestine. They may also occur in the rectum …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • carcinoid — A slow growing type of tumor usually found in the gastrointestinal system (most often in the appendix), and sometimes in the lungs or other sites. Carcinoid tumors may spread to the liver or other sites in the body, and they may secrete… …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • carcinoid crisis — a severe episodic attack of the carcinoid syndrome …   Medical dictionary

  • syndrome — The aggregate of symptoms and signs associated with any morbid process, and constituting together the picture of the disease. SEE ALSO: disease. [G. s., a running together, tumultuous concourse; (in med.) a concurrence of symptoms, fr. syn,… …   Medical dictionary

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